Udalguri:  The Gauhati High Court has asked the Assam government as well as the Centre to collectively take a decision on the question as to whether the ministerial staff for the newly appointed members of the Foreigners’ Tribunals are to be appointed or not.

The order was passed on August 3 by a single bench of Justice Achintya Malla Bujor Barua while hearing a writ petition filed by 238 appointees of the ministerial staff of 200 additional foreigners’ tribunal.

Advocates KN Choudhury and DJ Das represented the petitioners in the court.

The Assam government had earlier stated that the selection list of ministerial staff against 200 additional foreigners’ tribunal (FT) will not expire and the validity of such select list had been extended further.

On perusing the Centre’s communication over the matter the court noted,” It can be understood that the authorities may be waiting to take a decision on the appointment of the ministerial staff as the process of issuing rejection slips by the NRC upon which it is expected that the number of referred cases in the Foreigners’ Tribunals would be more is yet to take place.” 

The court further observed, ” We also take note of that the candidates who pursuant to an advertisement had participated in a selection process and thereafter became successful also have a legal right to know about the ultimate outcome of the process in which they had participated.”

The court has further asked the State government and Centre to file an affidavit within four weeks stating their decisions in this regard.

Shajid Khan is Northeast Now Correspondent in Udalguri. He can be reached at: [email protected]